Page 116 of Never Alone

---

"Yeah."

"Take the stuff in. Get Tyler or somebody to help with the bigger bags."

He looked at me. He looked at the car.

"You want me to?—"

"No. Just take the stuff in."

He looked at the car again.

"You sure, Cole?"

"I'm sure. Go."

He went.

I waited until he was through the bay door. Then I crossed the street.

"Lieutenant Weston."

His voice was warm. The voice of a man at a charity event, being introduced to somebody he was going to be polite to.

"Nicholas."

"Do you have a minute?"

"No."

"It won't be a minute. It'll be less."

I stopped four feet from him. I kept my hands at my sides. The street was quiet behind me. There was nobody in the lot but the two of us.

"You shouldn't be here."

"I know. I'll be brief."

He smiled. It was a small, polished smile. The smile of a man who had been to law school. He was thinner than he'd looked at the courthouse. The skin under his eyes had gone gray. He had been losing for two months, and it was finally showing.

"Congratulations."

"On what?"

"All of it. The ruling. The engagement. The woman. I lost. You won. I'm not here to argue about it."

"Good."

"I wanted to wish you well."

"Okay."

"You look well, Lieutenant. Rested. Taken care of."

I didn't answer.

He let it sit. Then he said it.

"That little sound she makes. You know the one. Right before. I always liked that one."

---